Words
by FlaFan
Summary: Epilogue to the last scene of "Syndrome:" Johnny gives Roy some help in dealing with Chatty Chet.


**Words**

_Epilogue to the last scene of "Syndrome:" Johnny gives Roy some help in dealing with Chatty Chet._

Dixie McCall was surprised to see John Gage walk back to the nurses' station.

"Everything all right, Johnny?" she asked. "Did you give Roy his ice cream?"

"Yeah, but…..Dixie, can someone sedate Chet? At least take him for a walk?"

Dixie did everything she could to hold back a smile. "A bit talkative, was he?"

"A bit?" Johnny sighed. "He spoke for himself, for Roy and for all of LA County."

Now she did smile. "I think he has a physical therapy session in about 15 minutes," she said. "Maybe you can take Roy for a walk. He can't use his voice yet, but he can use his legs."

"And some fresh air," Johnny added.

They were interrupted by a call: "Rampart, this is Rescue 99, how do you read?"

Dixie responded. "Go ahead, 99." Johnny recognized the voice of Paramedic Steve Thayer.

"We've removed a victim from a car crash," Thayer said. "She's a woman, age 35, with a deep gash on her forehead….."

As Thayer relayed the symptoms, Johnny watched Dixie scribbling on a notepad with a pencil. Dr. Joe Early soon came, and Dixie handed him the pad and pencil. It gave Johnny an idea.

Dixie walked back to Johnny.

"That cut doesn't sound too bad," Johnny said.

"No. She was conscious and speaking, but they'll bring her in just to be safe," Dixie said.

"Good. Say, Dixie, do you have another one of those notepads and a pencil?"

"Sure." Dixie handed the items to Johnny. "What for?"

Johnny grinned. "Roy."

"You know, Roy, I could hardly believe it. This naked woman….."

Roy DeSoto tried to concentrate on his ice cream. Johnny had gotten him strawberry, his favorite flavor, and it was very good.

But Chet Kelly…..As he droned on, Roy reclined on the pillow and thought a moment. _What was that doll Joanne's sister had when she was a kid? Chatty something….. _

Roy looked at Chet. _Here's the male version – Chatty Chet._

Roy downed another spoonful of ice cream and thought about Johnny, who'd just skipped out on him. _Some friend._ Well, at least he'd given him the ice cream….

Roy couldn't have been more surprised to see the door open and that friend pop his head in. "I'm back!" he sang out.

Chet barely interrupted his story. "Great, John," he said. "Lemme tell ya….."

"Actually, Chet, I gotta tell ya that your physical therapist is coming in a few minutes," Johnny answered back.

He turned to Roy. "And I'm supposed to take you out," he said. "Grab your ice cream and your robe and slippers."

In gratitude at this unexpected freedom, Roy did as he was told.

"Yeah, Chet. See you later."

Johnny held the door open for his partner.

"Got everything?" Johnny asked Roy, looking him over. "Good. Let's go." Johnny flashed a smile. "I have a surprise for you."

Roy's eyes opened wide as he followed Johnny through the halls. A surprise from Johnny could mean almost anything – good or bad.

Johnny took him to the patio. "Some fresh air," he said. "Well, as fresh as the LA smog allows." He grinned again.

They sat down. Johnny took the pad and pencil out of his pocket. "Here's the surprise," he said. "A way for you to communicate."

Roy beamed and enthusiastically took the tools. He immediately began to scribble, then showed the pad to Johnny.

"THANKS!" it said.

Johnny chuckled. "You're welcome." He thought a moment. "Did Joanne visit you today?"

Roy nodded, wrote and held up the pad. "THIS MORNING. BROUGHT DRAWINGS FROM THE KIDS."

"Far out!" Johnny exclaimed.

He could hear the scratching of pencil against pad. Roy lifted the pad to show Johnny.

"COURT?"

Johnny frowned. "Court?" he repeated aloud. Then, the light went on. "Oh…..court! The hearing this morning!"

Roy nodded.

Johnny leaned back in his chair and his expression became grim. "Man, it's just so unbelievable….How do kids do that? Set a building on fire just for kicks?"

Roy shook his head.

"I testified, and Cap did too…. Those kids – kids, heck, they're not much younger than I am - they just sat there with this slick lawyer next to them, and their parents looking just as slick behind them. They just didn't seem to care. I hope the judge and jury will."

Johnny fell silent. Roy noticed Johnny's face; his younger partner was unusually reflective.

Roy wrote something on the notepad. He turned it around to show Johnny.

It was a question mark.

Johnny chuckled. "Sorry." He sobered. "Just thinking about what a waste it is. Those kids have everything," he said. "Correction: Had everything."

Roy nodded.

Johnny sighed. "Didn't mean to be such a downer."

Roy scribbled, "YOU'RE NOT. HOW'S 51'S?"

"Everyone's good. They've been to see you guys, right?" Roy nodded.

Johnny smiled. "When can you finally use your voice? Well, you're using it now to write, I guess, but your speaking voice?"

Roy scribbled. He showed Johnny the pad: "DR. EARLY SAID I CAN TRY IT OUT TOMORROW."

Johnny laughed. "Maybe then, you can argue with Chet."

Roy rolled his eyes. He thought a moment, then scribbled again, for a while.

Johnny watched as Roy wrote, then held up the pad.

"HE REMINDS ME OF A DOLL JOANNE SAID HER SISTER USED TO HAVE – CHATTY CATHY, I THINK IT WAS CALLED."

Johnny laughed. "Chatty Chet," he said. "I like it."

Roy sighed.

"Y'know, I have an idea," said Johnny, seeing Roy's expression. "Gimme the pad and pencil."

Roy slid them across the table. Johnny opened to an empty sheet, grinned and wrote something down. He slid the pad and pencil across the table and pointed at what he wrote.

Roy began to laugh – at least as much as he could without his voice.

Johnny kept his smile. "I guarantee you, Roy, this will work. Anyway, it's probably time to get you back to the room."

Reluctantly, Roy nodded in agreement. He _was _tired.

Roy tossed the empty ice cream container into a garbage can and the two men walked back to the room. Johnny opened the door to find Chet conversing with an attractive woman.

"Listen, Meryl, I – oh, hi, guys," said Chet, turning from the woman to Roy and Johnny. "Johnny, this is Meryl…."

Roy scribbled furiously and raised the pad. "CHET'S PHYSICAL THERAPIST," Johnny read.

Johnny gave her his best toothy smile. "Nice to meet you, Meryl," he said.

"I've heard so much about you, Johnny!" Meryl exclaimed.

"Good or bad?" asked Johnny, with a glance at Chet.

Meryl laughed. "Oh, very good!" she exclaimed. "He said you and Roy are top-notch paramedics and firemen."

Johnny put on the Gage charm. "Oh, he did, did he?" he replied, looking at Chet. "Well, Chet's a pretty good fireman, too."

Chet put on a too-sweet grin. "Thanks, Johnny," he replied with a syrupy voice.

"You're welcome, Chet," Johnny said, then turned to Meryl. "Would you like a cup of coffee, Meryl?"

She smiled. "Sure, I'd love one, Johnny."

"Uh, Meryl?" Chet began.

Meryl turned to Chet. "See you tomorrow, Chet," she said. "Nice to see you again, Roy."

"Oh….uh…..sure," Chet stammered in disbelief.

"Bye, guys," said Johnny with a crooked grin on his face as he waved. "See you tomorrow!"

Roy waved back. A frustrated Chet slumped in his bed.

"Man, that's just rude," he complained. "A guy takes another guy's girl out from under his nose, just because that guy is sick!"

Roy frowned, then remembered the pad. He started scribbling as Chet kept complaining.

"I mean we've gone back and forth with women," Chet prattled on. "I've dated some women that Gage broke off with, and….." He was interrupted by a piece of paper hitting him on his nose.

Chet looked down at it, then Roy, in surprise. "Did you throw that, Roy?" The response was a nod.

"Why?!"

Roy spread his hands apart with an aggravated look, as if to say, "Open it, dummy!"

Chet opened it and read: "SHE ISN'T YOUR 'GIRL,' AT LEAST NOT YET. SHE'S YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPIST. JOHNNY'S JUST INVITING HER OUT FOR COFFEE."

"Well, that's what I mean, Roy," Chet shot back. "I can't take her anywhere. Gage has the advantage of being able to go in and out of here…."

Chet went on and on, as Roy flipped in his notepad to the page Johnny had written. He debated with himself, looking at the paper, then looking at Chatty Chet, then back at the paper.

He finally sighed and took out another piece of paper. He wadded it up and threw it at Chet.

"Geez, Roy, what's with you and the papers?" Chet asked in frustration. He opened it up. "There's nothing here."

Roy tapped his pencil toward the pad and smiled. As Chet read, his eyes opened wide.

It said, "SHUT UP, CHET!"


End file.
